Review of Beijing Bicycle (2001) by Manolis F — 17 Apr 2009

An introspective film that embodies the soul of modern China, commenting on the changes the country is experiencing and the growing rural-urban divide. Beijing Bicycle is masterful in countless ways; the movie has deft long takes/ camera work, but success more on a simplistic plot with complex themes.

We follow the exploits of country boy Guel, who naively and innocently explores the China he no longer recognizes. There is also Jian, a city kid whose penis envy and obsession with having a bicycle shows the higher social status connected with the ownership of a bike, emphasizing not only the practically of this mode of transportation in modern Beijing, but the continuing urbanization of the Asia giant. Loss of innocence is apparent in the portrayal of juvenile delinquency, but there are still signs of hope, as the most unlikely of circumstances creates a bond of understanding between the most unlikely of friends.